Just over twenty-four hours remain until the beginning of the marathon known as the NFL Draft. Months of coverage and analysis will come to a point tomorrow as the fortunes of thirty NFL teams are changed - for better or worse - for the next few years. The experts have weighed in and everyone's baby mama has compiled a "Mock Draft" (aka, guessing the first round with little actual knowledge of the teams, players, or anything besides what Mel Kiper Jr. thinks). Finally, tomorrow, we will actually find out where these talented, sometimes troubled, and usually overpaid future NFL stars (and busts) will be playing next season.
When I was a youngster, I compiled mock drafts for both the NFL & NBA. In the car, in church, at dinner or wherever I had time, I was ranking prospects and evaluating team needs. If you think I'm lying, come to my house sometime. My mama will cook you dinner, my dog will try to bite you, and I'll show you old mock drafts, as I still have them all. My NFL Drafts were not always the best - too many players I'd never heard of and not enough TVs to have seen them all play. My NBA Drafts, on the other hand, were quite solid for an eight year-old. I distinctly remember counting money with my Dad at church on Wednesday night, June 27, 1990 and informing my Dad's friend Jerry Blanchard that Derrick Coleman was about to go number one in the NBA Draft. Clearly, I was right. I still put together NBA Mock Drafts, as I did this past week for the upcoming June draft. The NFL, however, does not do much for me. I will be watching the draft tomorrow, but only to see the drama unfold and who the Carolina Panthers select.
So why do people love the draft so much? Three reasons: 1) every fan has an opinion and cannot be wrong. This is the same reason people love college recruiting so much. "I love our pick of Ryan Leaf, he's the real deal". It's not until three years later that anyone can tell you differently. Therefore, everyone's an expert and as a fan, you seemingly have equity in the draft because you know exactly what is going on (not). 2) every team does something exciting. "We traded up for the right guy!" "We traded down and got value picks!" "Our youth movement is on!" "Super Bowl or bust baby!" Most fans are excited, no matter what their team does, because someone has convinced them that it is the right thing to do. Of course, some fans are known more for their negativity than others. 3) optimism is abound. Every organization has a positive spin on their selections. The future is bright. Last season is officially last season and next season is now. That fat defensive lineman from Michigan State is the key to Super Bowl success. Then again, so is that slow, undersized receiver from Mississippi Valley State.
So, on to the only part that The Blue Team cares about: the Carolina Panthers. I have had a few draft-related discussions on the Panthers and their options, mostly with Rhino and Whitney. In those discussions, inevitably, we relive some good picks by the Panthers, some bad picks by the Panthers, and the worst selection of all-time.
Of course, the Charlotte Observer has been covering the draft for a month. After much analysis & consternation, the paper finally came to the same conclusion I've been at for over a month: draft Derrick Harvey, the defensive end from Florida, if he's available. Unfortunately, much like Patrick Willis last season, I do not think Harvey will last until the Panthers' selection. Therefore, sitting at number 13 does not look fun to me. The need for a great pass rusher on the side opposite The Artist Formerly Known As Julius Peppers is clear and must be addressed somewhere in this draft. Of course, there are not a lot of great players at that position outside of the first round, so I think it is very important to draft an impact guy early. If Harvey is gone, Phillip Merling from Clemson and Calais Campbell from Miami are the next best available DEs. Merling was not spectacular in his time as a Tiger, but he was solid. Campbell has all of the physical "freak" measureables, but never really brought it every down in college at The U. Also note that if Vernon Gholston or Sedrick Ellis slipped down to number 13, the Panthers would poop their silver britches and grab either off the board immediately.
Offensive lineman galore in this draft's first round, and the Panthers would like to have a good one. As Rhino and I discussed, picking up a late first-rounder to grab an o-lineman would be nice. Anyone else for the fat guy from Boston College? Here here.
As for the two glamour positions the Charlotte Observer has been blabbering about for a month, the Panthers would like to select a running back at some point and would also like to add a quarterback to the roster for training camp. I wouldn't be shocked if Jonathan Stewart from Oregon or Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois became the 13th pick if Harvey is gone. However, drafting a running back that high would really make me question the team's confidence in DeAngelo Williams. I was not a huge fan of that selection when it was made, so I'm not arguing (even though I now own a DeAngelo jersey. Hey, it was $29.99 and Ma & Pa bought it for me). I'm of the opinion that waiting until one of our third round picks to draft a running back would be a good idea. For the record, I think Kevin Smith could be a problem waiting to happen, or feel he gets slighted in the draft and play pissed off for twelve years. Can you say boom or bust?
On the quarterback side, if the Panthers love Matt Ryan that much, then go get him. I mean it. When a team likes a player so much, then be aggressive, b-e aggressive and make sure he ends up on your squad. He does not fit the need for next year, he will not win games in 2008, but he might be the long-term QB answer after Delhomme. Just be ready for the catcalls and boo-birds that come with a quarterback-in-waiting situation. Remember, this is the same fanbase that thought David Carr was The Second Coming and wanted Delhomme benched for him. How'd that work out? Anyway, taking a QB later in the 3rd or 4th round is fine and quite frankly expected.
Ultimately, I think the Panthers take Ryan Clady from Boise St or trade down after Harvey is already gone before pick 13. Someone will make a nice offer in order to get to Stewart or Mendenhall, so options will arise.
Everyone keep in mind that the NFL Draft starts at 3:00pm this year, not 12:00pm as in the past. So enjoy the extra hours of sleep and get ready for a marathon of Mel Kiper Jr (good) & Chris Berman (bad).
So I let her lick the rapper...
Friday, April 25, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
It's Faaaantastic
As has been mentioned in this web space for the past three years, I love the NBA. I am one of the few remaining NBA fans who actually watches the regular season. Kings vs Sonics? I'm in, Kevin Martin can play and the Sonics have some dude named Durant that I kind of like. Hawks vs Bucks? Got to see Marvin Williams play. Bobcats vs Your Mom? Of course, the 'Cats are the home team. Heat vs Knicks? Alright, you finally got me. That's only shown in a certain section of Hades I'm afraid.
So why do I like the NBA? If you care, it's mainly because I stinkin' love basketball. Does it have its problems? Sure. But the NBA also has the best players in the world, making the best plays in the world. When Kobe Bryant drops 60 on someone in the playoffs, I want to see it. When K.G. finally gets his first NBA Championship, I want to see him hold the trophy and cry his eyes out. When LeBron soars over two defenders and throws down a tomahawk dunk, I want to see it, rewind my DVR, and watch it again. Even though my home team, the aforementioned Bobcats, are not good, I pull for them and dream of the day that an NBA Championship will come to Charlotte...and that people will actually care.
On a more personal level, I also think my affection for the NBA stems from growing up during the Charlotte Hornets' heyday in the Queen City. My dad and I sat in Section 218 Row P Seats 15 & 16 from 1988 - 2000. We saw Larry Johnson, Mugsy Bouges, Alonzo Mourning, and Dell Curry in the 1993 playoffs. We saw Anthony Mason, Vlade Divac, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Baron Davis, and PJ Brown. But we also saw Michael Horton, Dave Hoppen, Tony Bennett, and Rex Chapman. I have a picture with Tim Kempton (Who? Exactly. But it was one of the happiest moments of my Charlotte Hornets childhood).
Yes, the Hornets' tenure in Charlotte ended ugly. Yes, it hurt a lot. And yes, I'm going to write about it on this blog in detail sometime soon. But the NBA was, and still is, in my heart. A little overdramatic maybe, but it is true.
The NBA regular season may be a little too long. The games are not always great. But in the playoffs, everyone comes to play. The teams work better together and the individual players focus harder. Everything happens at a higher level because the intensity rises with so much at stake. And I love it.
For those that do not know, the 2007-2008 NBA season has been terrific. The Western Conference playoff race was tremendous. The Boston Celtics have gone from cellar-dweller to Finals favorite. Chris Paul has led the New Orleans Hornets to the second-best record in the West. The MVP race between Paul, Kobe, Garnett, and LeBron is going to be very close. And the playoffs are going to be NCAA Tournament-esque, as there are at least nine teams with legitimate championship aspirations.
So tune in and enjoy it. Give the NBA a chance and you might be surprised. I honestly have no idea who will win. And I'm ok with that. All I know is that I will be watching.
So why do I like the NBA? If you care, it's mainly because I stinkin' love basketball. Does it have its problems? Sure. But the NBA also has the best players in the world, making the best plays in the world. When Kobe Bryant drops 60 on someone in the playoffs, I want to see it. When K.G. finally gets his first NBA Championship, I want to see him hold the trophy and cry his eyes out. When LeBron soars over two defenders and throws down a tomahawk dunk, I want to see it, rewind my DVR, and watch it again. Even though my home team, the aforementioned Bobcats, are not good, I pull for them and dream of the day that an NBA Championship will come to Charlotte...and that people will actually care.
On a more personal level, I also think my affection for the NBA stems from growing up during the Charlotte Hornets' heyday in the Queen City. My dad and I sat in Section 218 Row P Seats 15 & 16 from 1988 - 2000. We saw Larry Johnson, Mugsy Bouges, Alonzo Mourning, and Dell Curry in the 1993 playoffs. We saw Anthony Mason, Vlade Divac, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Baron Davis, and PJ Brown. But we also saw Michael Horton, Dave Hoppen, Tony Bennett, and Rex Chapman. I have a picture with Tim Kempton (Who? Exactly. But it was one of the happiest moments of my Charlotte Hornets childhood).
Yes, the Hornets' tenure in Charlotte ended ugly. Yes, it hurt a lot. And yes, I'm going to write about it on this blog in detail sometime soon. But the NBA was, and still is, in my heart. A little overdramatic maybe, but it is true.
The NBA regular season may be a little too long. The games are not always great. But in the playoffs, everyone comes to play. The teams work better together and the individual players focus harder. Everything happens at a higher level because the intensity rises with so much at stake. And I love it.
For those that do not know, the 2007-2008 NBA season has been terrific. The Western Conference playoff race was tremendous. The Boston Celtics have gone from cellar-dweller to Finals favorite. Chris Paul has led the New Orleans Hornets to the second-best record in the West. The MVP race between Paul, Kobe, Garnett, and LeBron is going to be very close. And the playoffs are going to be NCAA Tournament-esque, as there are at least nine teams with legitimate championship aspirations.
So tune in and enjoy it. Give the NBA a chance and you might be surprised. I honestly have no idea who will win. And I'm ok with that. All I know is that I will be watching.
Monday, April 14, 2008
To Be Updated...
Sorry The Blue Team has been on hiatus the last month. Unfortunately, that will continue for a bit longer. Topics to be addressed upon return: NCAA Tournament, the ending to Carolina's quest for a National Championship, the fast-approaching NBA Playoffs, the NFL Draft, hip-hop music, the Charlotte Hornets (yes, Hornets), and other such greatness. But for now, I bid adieu.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
NCAA Tournament Breakdown
Now that we’ve all had a couple of days to digest the NCAA Tournament bracket, allow me to analyze a bit. We’ll discuss the selection committee’s job briefly, and look at the overall bracket itself. Then, an in-depth analysis of each region, complete with possible upsets. Next, my picks (as if anyone would ever use them). Finally, a look at the road ahead for the Tar Heels.
The Selections & Seeding
The NCAA Selection Committee, as usual, had a tough job this season in selecting the 34 at-large bids to the tournament. It was a little different than most years, as many teams attempted to play their way off the proverbial bubble. Seth Greenberg was clearly upset that my resident home team, Virginia Tech, did not make the tournament. Herb Sendek also had a bone to pick out at Arizona St. However, I personally was not floored by any omissions by the committee. If VT or ASU had made the tournament, I would not have been surprised. But, I’m equally as un-stunned that both are playing in the NIT.
My bracket that I put together here on The Blue Team notched 63/65 teams correct. I did miss VT (what a homer) and Illinois St, both teams that I was not sold on. The more I thought about the bracket following the ACC Tournament Final on Sunday, the more I felt like these teams would be left out. However, I was beginning the feel like Arizona St would get in, not Oregon. The Ducks were my only real complaint with this bracket. Not so much that they received a bid, as Ernie Kent’s squad is pretty good and have some quality wins, but more so that they are a nine seed. A nine seems significantly too high, in my opinion, for this team. With that being said, I have no serious gripes with anyone who was included or left out of this dance recital.
There were some surprises on the seeding front. Washington St (4), Vanderbilt (4), Oklahoma (6), Miami (7), and Oregon (9) all were a bit too high for my taste. On the contrary, Butler (7), BYU (8), Indiana (8), and Kansas St (11) might have each been a line too low. Indiana was especially surprising. Though the Hoosiers have struggled a bit since the Kelvin Sampson debacle, they have played some Final Four-caliber basketball this year as well. But, the Hoosiers seeding is consistent with what the Big Ten received. I personally felt like Duke would end up a 3-seed, with Big Ten champion Wisconsin a 2-seed, but the committee disagreed.
All in all, I have to commend the job the selection committee did this season. The right teams are probably in the tournament and everyone left out has significant flaws (yes, even the beloved Hokies). In general, I think the bracket is fairly well balanced from region to region. The Midwest Region looks the toughest to me, as all of the top six seeds could make a run to San Antonio. The Tar Heels’ East Region is not much easier, if any. The South would be next, then the UCLA Invitational known as the West Region. If you’re a fan of the Bruins, go ahead and find a hotel room along the Riverwalk. The only obstacle I really see for UCLA is its second round matchup with either BYU or Texas A&M. The Cougars are a good team for sure and could give UCLA a tough game. In fact, I’d say that the four 8-seeds are all strong teams who have played some tough opponents well throughout the year. It would not surprise me at all to see any one of them pull off an upset in the second round, knocking out a number one seed in the process (UNLV anyone?).
Overall Bracket Thoughts
I felt coming into March that the top seven teams (UNC, UCLA, Memphis, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, and Georgetown) were head and shoulders better than the rest of the field. However, after seeing the brackets lined up, I see some potential potholes for each squad, even before they have to play one another. In the East, Indiana is clearly a problem for Carolina and Butler or Louisville could give Tennessee all they can handle. In the Midwest, Kansas got no favors with UNLV and Clemson; Georgetown would be challenged by Southern Cal. In the South, Memphis is going to need to survive against physical teams like Mississippi St and Pittsburgh while Rick Barnes’ Texas squad could face former assistant Frank Haith (head coach at Miami) and the twin towers, Brook and Brock Lopez, of Stanford. And, out West, UCLA has to contend with…um…with…oh wait, UCLA has no one to worry about. We already covered that. So to take up space, let’s rename the West Region. Choose one:
a) Paper Doll Lounge Region – cause that’s where the Bruins will be for two weeks after each win
b) Cream Puff Region – playing cream puff opponents, duh
c) No Respek Necessary Region – don’t need to respek the opponents, Ali G style, since Lorenzo Mata could be Ali G’s cousin.
d) The-Refs-Will-Make-Sure-We-Win Region – if you watch college basketball and don’t know what I’m talking about, then you don’t watch enough college basketball. Make sense?
(And yes, for the record, I’m trying to find every way possible to jinx UCLA into losing before the Boys in Baby Blue…nevermind.)
In all seriousness, the Final Four will have three of the top seven teams in my opinion. And UCLA will be one of them.
Regional Breakdown
East Region:
Carolina might be the number one overall seed, but has a difficult road beginning in round two, should they beat Mount St. Mary’s. Indiana had the look of a Final Four team a couple of months ago, so much so that I was considering the 18-1 odds for winning the national title during our Vegas trip in mid-January. Clearly the Hoosiers have struggled recently, but have the talent to take out the Heels. Notre Dame and Washington St should be survive the first round, then bore us to tears in the second round. Both of these squads will be a Sweet 16 battle. The bottom half of the East brings the first real upset possibility to me, in St. Joseph’s vs Oklahoma. With the relative inexperience of OU both on the floor and in its head coach, I like the St. Joe’s Hawk to flap his wings for two rounds (for those that don’t know, the St. Joe’s mascot flaps his wings from the opening tip to the final buzzer of every game, non-stop. If that bird ever quits flapping, then the apocalypse is upon us). Butler vs South Alabama is a game of contrasting styles, as the Bulldogs are methodical and organized while USA is open-court, pressing and pushing tempo. I like the Bulldogs and think they could give Tennessee a run in the second round. If we get a Tennessee vs Louisville Sweet 16 matchup, it’ll be a good one. Both teams can shoot the 3 and push the tempo. And, unfortunately, either could advance to the Final Four.
Midwest Region:
This region is the toughest and most wide-open. UNLV made the Sweet 16 last year and has a player who can take over a game in Wink Adams; look out Jayhawks. Clemson vs Villanova pits two polar-opposite teams from major conferences. Clemson is getting a lot of hype right now, but be wary of the Wildcats. With the 3-guard lineup, they should have enough ball handlers against Clemson’s press, which could lead to easy buckets and an upset. The USC/K-State winner can, and should, beat Wisconsin. Both teams have far more talent and athleticism. Davidson’s hype around North Carolina has gotten old. I will be pulling for the Wildcats for sure, even against everyone’s favorite mid-major, Gonzaga. But, remember that Davidson has only played good teams close this year, not beaten any of them. I see a repeat personally. Georgetown should see the Sweet 16, but will have a tough go-around with USC if the Trojans make it that far. I think Kansas is the best team, but, much like the Tar Heels, they will have to earn their berth in San Antonio.
South Region:
No one loves Memphis. They can’t shoot free throws, they’re undisciplined, haven’t played enough close games, blah blah blah. They’ve beaten Oklahoma, UCONN, USC, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Arizona, Gonzaga, Houston (2), UAB (2). Their only loss was to number two Tennessee, in a game in which the Tigers had a shot to win. Of the non-conference games, only their win over Southern Cal was particularly close (by 4 in OT), which means they haven’t played close games against any of those quality opponents. Which means they blew out quality teams. Blew them out. Just keep that in mind. Sure, the Tigers could go out early, as many “experts” have predicted. But, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Memphis is still really good. In the bottom half of this region, Stanford will have a tough road. The Cardinal are huge up front, but their guards are not quick. Marquette, Texas, and Memphis all have quick guards. Translation: don’t bet your cards on the Cardinal.
West Region:
Chris’ Sports Blog mentioned that the South Region had a lot of teams that start with “M”. The West Region has a lot of teams that end in “Sucks.” As in Duke Sucks, Xavier Sucks, UCONN Sucks, Drake Sucks, Purdue Really Sucks, etc. Have I gotten across my point that I don’t think too highly of many of the teams in the UCLA Invitational West Region.
On the upset front, I like St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s, Western Kentucky, and Baylor enough to pick them. I’m too chicken to pick Siena, Villanova, Temple, San Diego, or Belmont (just kidding on that last one).
Lower seeds that could see the Sweet 16: St. Joseph’s, Butler, Villanova, Kansas St, St. Mary’s, & Western Kentucky.
First One-Seed to lose: All of them in the Final Four. What a joke. It was unintentional.
Most dangerous seed 5 or lower: USC
Most dangerous seed 9 or lower: Villanova & Western Kentucky (both are 12 seeds)
Contenders in each region (teams that have a legitimate chance at the Final Four):
East – Carolina, Tennessee, Louisville
Midwest – Kansas, Clemson, USC, Georgetown
South – Memphis, Pittsburgh, Texas
West – UCLA, Duke
The Picks
East:
1st Round – Carolina, Indiana, Notre Dame, Washington St, St. Joseph’s, Louisville, Butler, Tennessee
2nd Round – Carolina, Washington St, Louisville, Tennessee
Sweet 16 – Carolina, Louisville
Elite 8 – Carolina
Midwest:
1st Round – Kansas, UNLV, Clemson, Vanderbilt, USC, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Georgetown
2nd Round – Kansas, Vanderbilt, USC, Georgetown
Sweet 16 – Kansas, Georgetown
Elite 8 – Kansas
South:
1st Round – Memphis, Oregon, Michigan St, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Stanford, St. Mary’s, Texas
2nd Round – Memphis, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Texas
Sweet 16 – Memphis, Texas
Elite 8 – Memphis
West:
1st Round – UCLA, BYU, Western Kentucky, UCONN, Baylor, Xavier, West Virginia, Duke
2nd Round – UCLA, UCONN, Xavier, Duke
Sweet 16 – UCLA, Duke
Elite 8 – UCLA
Final Four:
Kansas over Carolina & UCLA over Memphis
UCLA defeats Kansas 81-77 to win the National Championship
The Blue Team
In order for Carolina to win the national title, a few things are key.
1) Ty Lawson. I cannot emphasize enough how important he is right now. Lawson can get easy buckets when they are needed, beat a press by himself, put pressure on the ball and prevent the opponent from getting into its offense, set up teammates for easy buckets, and keep the turnover numbers down. Furthermore, he is a pretty good shooter, so a lineup that includes Lawson, Ellington, and Green can really hit from downtown. He has to be at or near 100%, not just health-wise but on the court.
2) Hansbrough must continue to emulate Sean May circa 2005. If Tyler can foul guys out, the Heels have a big advantage. That being said…
3) The Tar Heels must not expect to get any calls. This drives many of the ACC fans nuts, as Hansbrough et al draw a lot of contact and, subsequently, a lot of whistles. That doesn’t fly in March. My Dad can sit down and name five games off the top of his head that Carolina didn’t get calls it normally receives in the regular season. This was the case for the ACC Tournament this season, as it probably should be. Let the players decide the outcome, which is how things usually work in the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, Carolina must adjust and play like men. Especially…
4) Deon Thompson. He has been shaky the last six weeks (to put it nicely) in large part due to injuries. Now is the time to get as healthy as possible and play strong. You too Alex Stepheson.
5) Survive. You know the game. Villanova in ’05, Cincinnati in ’93, James Madison in ’82. Carolina plays a sub-par game, loses a key player to fouls, can’t stop at least one player on the other team, and still finds a way to win. Nearly every team does it to win a national title.
6) Play your best on the big stage. Don’t get to the Final Four and crap out (see 1997 & 1998). Four great teams will be there, so bring the A+ game.
I’m looking forward to this tournament. Quietly optimistic, even a bit hopeful. I’ll be heading to Raleigh for the 1st & 2nd rounds, so I don’t see a blog coming until Monday. Go Heels and Happy March Madness.
One Shining Moment you reached for the sky…
The Selections & Seeding
The NCAA Selection Committee, as usual, had a tough job this season in selecting the 34 at-large bids to the tournament. It was a little different than most years, as many teams attempted to play their way off the proverbial bubble. Seth Greenberg was clearly upset that my resident home team, Virginia Tech, did not make the tournament. Herb Sendek also had a bone to pick out at Arizona St. However, I personally was not floored by any omissions by the committee. If VT or ASU had made the tournament, I would not have been surprised. But, I’m equally as un-stunned that both are playing in the NIT.
My bracket that I put together here on The Blue Team notched 63/65 teams correct. I did miss VT (what a homer) and Illinois St, both teams that I was not sold on. The more I thought about the bracket following the ACC Tournament Final on Sunday, the more I felt like these teams would be left out. However, I was beginning the feel like Arizona St would get in, not Oregon. The Ducks were my only real complaint with this bracket. Not so much that they received a bid, as Ernie Kent’s squad is pretty good and have some quality wins, but more so that they are a nine seed. A nine seems significantly too high, in my opinion, for this team. With that being said, I have no serious gripes with anyone who was included or left out of this dance recital.
There were some surprises on the seeding front. Washington St (4), Vanderbilt (4), Oklahoma (6), Miami (7), and Oregon (9) all were a bit too high for my taste. On the contrary, Butler (7), BYU (8), Indiana (8), and Kansas St (11) might have each been a line too low. Indiana was especially surprising. Though the Hoosiers have struggled a bit since the Kelvin Sampson debacle, they have played some Final Four-caliber basketball this year as well. But, the Hoosiers seeding is consistent with what the Big Ten received. I personally felt like Duke would end up a 3-seed, with Big Ten champion Wisconsin a 2-seed, but the committee disagreed.
All in all, I have to commend the job the selection committee did this season. The right teams are probably in the tournament and everyone left out has significant flaws (yes, even the beloved Hokies). In general, I think the bracket is fairly well balanced from region to region. The Midwest Region looks the toughest to me, as all of the top six seeds could make a run to San Antonio. The Tar Heels’ East Region is not much easier, if any. The South would be next, then the UCLA Invitational known as the West Region. If you’re a fan of the Bruins, go ahead and find a hotel room along the Riverwalk. The only obstacle I really see for UCLA is its second round matchup with either BYU or Texas A&M. The Cougars are a good team for sure and could give UCLA a tough game. In fact, I’d say that the four 8-seeds are all strong teams who have played some tough opponents well throughout the year. It would not surprise me at all to see any one of them pull off an upset in the second round, knocking out a number one seed in the process (UNLV anyone?).
Overall Bracket Thoughts
I felt coming into March that the top seven teams (UNC, UCLA, Memphis, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, and Georgetown) were head and shoulders better than the rest of the field. However, after seeing the brackets lined up, I see some potential potholes for each squad, even before they have to play one another. In the East, Indiana is clearly a problem for Carolina and Butler or Louisville could give Tennessee all they can handle. In the Midwest, Kansas got no favors with UNLV and Clemson; Georgetown would be challenged by Southern Cal. In the South, Memphis is going to need to survive against physical teams like Mississippi St and Pittsburgh while Rick Barnes’ Texas squad could face former assistant Frank Haith (head coach at Miami) and the twin towers, Brook and Brock Lopez, of Stanford. And, out West, UCLA has to contend with…um…with…oh wait, UCLA has no one to worry about. We already covered that. So to take up space, let’s rename the West Region. Choose one:
a) Paper Doll Lounge Region – cause that’s where the Bruins will be for two weeks after each win
b) Cream Puff Region – playing cream puff opponents, duh
c) No Respek Necessary Region – don’t need to respek the opponents, Ali G style, since Lorenzo Mata could be Ali G’s cousin.
d) The-Refs-Will-Make-Sure-We-Win Region – if you watch college basketball and don’t know what I’m talking about, then you don’t watch enough college basketball. Make sense?
(And yes, for the record, I’m trying to find every way possible to jinx UCLA into losing before the Boys in Baby Blue…nevermind.)
In all seriousness, the Final Four will have three of the top seven teams in my opinion. And UCLA will be one of them.
Regional Breakdown
East Region:
Carolina might be the number one overall seed, but has a difficult road beginning in round two, should they beat Mount St. Mary’s. Indiana had the look of a Final Four team a couple of months ago, so much so that I was considering the 18-1 odds for winning the national title during our Vegas trip in mid-January. Clearly the Hoosiers have struggled recently, but have the talent to take out the Heels. Notre Dame and Washington St should be survive the first round, then bore us to tears in the second round. Both of these squads will be a Sweet 16 battle. The bottom half of the East brings the first real upset possibility to me, in St. Joseph’s vs Oklahoma. With the relative inexperience of OU both on the floor and in its head coach, I like the St. Joe’s Hawk to flap his wings for two rounds (for those that don’t know, the St. Joe’s mascot flaps his wings from the opening tip to the final buzzer of every game, non-stop. If that bird ever quits flapping, then the apocalypse is upon us). Butler vs South Alabama is a game of contrasting styles, as the Bulldogs are methodical and organized while USA is open-court, pressing and pushing tempo. I like the Bulldogs and think they could give Tennessee a run in the second round. If we get a Tennessee vs Louisville Sweet 16 matchup, it’ll be a good one. Both teams can shoot the 3 and push the tempo. And, unfortunately, either could advance to the Final Four.
Midwest Region:
This region is the toughest and most wide-open. UNLV made the Sweet 16 last year and has a player who can take over a game in Wink Adams; look out Jayhawks. Clemson vs Villanova pits two polar-opposite teams from major conferences. Clemson is getting a lot of hype right now, but be wary of the Wildcats. With the 3-guard lineup, they should have enough ball handlers against Clemson’s press, which could lead to easy buckets and an upset. The USC/K-State winner can, and should, beat Wisconsin. Both teams have far more talent and athleticism. Davidson’s hype around North Carolina has gotten old. I will be pulling for the Wildcats for sure, even against everyone’s favorite mid-major, Gonzaga. But, remember that Davidson has only played good teams close this year, not beaten any of them. I see a repeat personally. Georgetown should see the Sweet 16, but will have a tough go-around with USC if the Trojans make it that far. I think Kansas is the best team, but, much like the Tar Heels, they will have to earn their berth in San Antonio.
South Region:
No one loves Memphis. They can’t shoot free throws, they’re undisciplined, haven’t played enough close games, blah blah blah. They’ve beaten Oklahoma, UCONN, USC, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Arizona, Gonzaga, Houston (2), UAB (2). Their only loss was to number two Tennessee, in a game in which the Tigers had a shot to win. Of the non-conference games, only their win over Southern Cal was particularly close (by 4 in OT), which means they haven’t played close games against any of those quality opponents. Which means they blew out quality teams. Blew them out. Just keep that in mind. Sure, the Tigers could go out early, as many “experts” have predicted. But, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Memphis is still really good. In the bottom half of this region, Stanford will have a tough road. The Cardinal are huge up front, but their guards are not quick. Marquette, Texas, and Memphis all have quick guards. Translation: don’t bet your cards on the Cardinal.
West Region:
Chris’ Sports Blog mentioned that the South Region had a lot of teams that start with “M”. The West Region has a lot of teams that end in “Sucks.” As in Duke Sucks, Xavier Sucks, UCONN Sucks, Drake Sucks, Purdue Really Sucks, etc. Have I gotten across my point that I don’t think too highly of many of the teams in the UCLA Invitational West Region.
On the upset front, I like St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s, Western Kentucky, and Baylor enough to pick them. I’m too chicken to pick Siena, Villanova, Temple, San Diego, or Belmont (just kidding on that last one).
Lower seeds that could see the Sweet 16: St. Joseph’s, Butler, Villanova, Kansas St, St. Mary’s, & Western Kentucky.
First One-Seed to lose: All of them in the Final Four. What a joke. It was unintentional.
Most dangerous seed 5 or lower: USC
Most dangerous seed 9 or lower: Villanova & Western Kentucky (both are 12 seeds)
Contenders in each region (teams that have a legitimate chance at the Final Four):
East – Carolina, Tennessee, Louisville
Midwest – Kansas, Clemson, USC, Georgetown
South – Memphis, Pittsburgh, Texas
West – UCLA, Duke
The Picks
East:
1st Round – Carolina, Indiana, Notre Dame, Washington St, St. Joseph’s, Louisville, Butler, Tennessee
2nd Round – Carolina, Washington St, Louisville, Tennessee
Sweet 16 – Carolina, Louisville
Elite 8 – Carolina
Midwest:
1st Round – Kansas, UNLV, Clemson, Vanderbilt, USC, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Georgetown
2nd Round – Kansas, Vanderbilt, USC, Georgetown
Sweet 16 – Kansas, Georgetown
Elite 8 – Kansas
South:
1st Round – Memphis, Oregon, Michigan St, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Stanford, St. Mary’s, Texas
2nd Round – Memphis, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Texas
Sweet 16 – Memphis, Texas
Elite 8 – Memphis
West:
1st Round – UCLA, BYU, Western Kentucky, UCONN, Baylor, Xavier, West Virginia, Duke
2nd Round – UCLA, UCONN, Xavier, Duke
Sweet 16 – UCLA, Duke
Elite 8 – UCLA
Final Four:
Kansas over Carolina & UCLA over Memphis
UCLA defeats Kansas 81-77 to win the National Championship
The Blue Team
In order for Carolina to win the national title, a few things are key.
1) Ty Lawson. I cannot emphasize enough how important he is right now. Lawson can get easy buckets when they are needed, beat a press by himself, put pressure on the ball and prevent the opponent from getting into its offense, set up teammates for easy buckets, and keep the turnover numbers down. Furthermore, he is a pretty good shooter, so a lineup that includes Lawson, Ellington, and Green can really hit from downtown. He has to be at or near 100%, not just health-wise but on the court.
2) Hansbrough must continue to emulate Sean May circa 2005. If Tyler can foul guys out, the Heels have a big advantage. That being said…
3) The Tar Heels must not expect to get any calls. This drives many of the ACC fans nuts, as Hansbrough et al draw a lot of contact and, subsequently, a lot of whistles. That doesn’t fly in March. My Dad can sit down and name five games off the top of his head that Carolina didn’t get calls it normally receives in the regular season. This was the case for the ACC Tournament this season, as it probably should be. Let the players decide the outcome, which is how things usually work in the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, Carolina must adjust and play like men. Especially…
4) Deon Thompson. He has been shaky the last six weeks (to put it nicely) in large part due to injuries. Now is the time to get as healthy as possible and play strong. You too Alex Stepheson.
5) Survive. You know the game. Villanova in ’05, Cincinnati in ’93, James Madison in ’82. Carolina plays a sub-par game, loses a key player to fouls, can’t stop at least one player on the other team, and still finds a way to win. Nearly every team does it to win a national title.
6) Play your best on the big stage. Don’t get to the Final Four and crap out (see 1997 & 1998). Four great teams will be there, so bring the A+ game.
I’m looking forward to this tournament. Quietly optimistic, even a bit hopeful. I’ll be heading to Raleigh for the 1st & 2nd rounds, so I don’t see a blog coming until Monday. Go Heels and Happy March Madness.
One Shining Moment you reached for the sky…
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Christmas in March Part Ib
A little bit more bubble analysis on this Selection Sunday morning. After looking around at other brackets, it seems that Oregon and Ohio St are the two teams I've left out that others are including. I really don't have a problem with Oregon at all, but I'm not sure how their resume is much different than Arizona St. Ohio St is a team I've seen fairly often this season, but have not been impressed with in the least. Illinois St to me seems to be hotly debated as well. In the end, it's likely that at least one of the teams I've left out (Oregon, Ohio St, UMASS, Arizona St) will be in and rob me of the perfectly-projected bracket yet again. For the record, if Georgia or Illinois win, Villanova and Illinois St are the teams to go out, in that order. I'm keeping the Hokies in, I don't want to lose my job.
Christmas in March Part I
Welcome to Christmas in March. Selection Sunday is finally here. Hours before the brackets are released, here are the pressing questions:
Who are the number one seeds? Easy answer.
Who are the two-seeds? Tough question, as there are five great candidates.
How high do Clemson and Pittsburgh go? Great conference tournament runs make this a tough one.
Who gets in the Big Dance? Roughly four spots TBD. For now. Because…
How many more bids get stolen? Both Illinois and Georgia play for automatic bids that would potentially eliminate two more bids after Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and South Alabama already took three bids.
Let’s briefly discuss all of these questions. First, the one-seeds. UNC, UCLA, Memphis, and the Kansas/Texas winner. Easy enough and in that order. UNC will play in Raleigh for the first round site, which is a Friday/Sunday setup. Therefore, the Tar Heels are in line for the number one overall seed as well as the winner of the play-in game.
The two-seeds will come from the following five teams: Duke, Georgetown, Kansas/Texas loser, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. I honestly have no idea who will be bumped down to a three-seed. My guess right now is either Georgetown or Duke. If Wisconsin loses to Illinois, they might drop a seed line to become a three-seed, and I personally think they are the weakest of these five teams. However, the Badgers should beat Illinois and would have to be a two-seed as the regular season and tournament champions of the Big Ten. Truthfully, it looks like Duke to me, as the Blue Devils have lost two of three here late in the season.
On a Carolina note, there are a number of storylines to follow here. As the number one seed in the East Region, the Tar Heels could have either Tennessee or Georgetown as their two. However, should Texas lose to Kansas on Sunday, the Longhorns will be tough to place as a two-seed. They couldn’t be the two-seed in Kansas’ region (likely the Midwest), nor would it be fair to Memphis if the Longhorns were the two-seed in the South Region (to be played in Houston, TX). This leaves only the West (UCLA as the one-seed) and East (UNC as the one-seed). Not that it matters a lot, but Texas and UCLA already played this year. Therefore, there’s a chance the Longhorns could end up in the East Region. Depending on how things fall on the committee’s S-curve (the overall list of all 65 teams in order of strength in comparison to the regional setup), Georgetown could easily become the lowest of the two-seeds (eighth overall) and end up in the East Region with the Tar Heels once again. The worst case scenario is a region that breaks down with UNC as the one-seed, Tennessee as the two-seed, and Georgetown as the three-seed. Not unlikely at this point.
Moving down the seeding list, it’s safe to say that one of the above-mentioned five teams battling for a two-seed will become a three-seed. Stanford as well. However, I’m at a loss for who becomes the other two three-seeds. I’m betting on at least one Big East team, likely Louisville. But what about Pittsburgh? With Lavance Fields in the lineup at full-strength, Pitt is 18-1. The Panthers also just won four games in four days to capture the Big East tournament title. It’s at least possible that Pitt climbs this high based on those two facts. For the record, Xavier looks more likely to be the fourth of the three-seeds to me.
Clemson is also climbing high. A win in the ACC Tournament final over the number one ranked Tar Heels would propel the Tigers to a 4-seed in my opinion. Even with a loss, Clemson is looking like at least a 6, maybe even a 5.
In discussing the bubble, we must first mention the last question I posed earlier: how many more bids are stolen on Sunday? Both Georgia and Illinois have a chance to earn an automatic bid, which were certainly not accounted for prior to this week. Fans of any team on the so-called bubble will be cheering loudly for Wisconsin and Arkansas, two teams who will earn bids regardless of Sunday’s results, to win and keep those bubble spots open.
Now, for the bubble itself. Here’s the breakdown as of right now:
UMBC
Temple
UNC
Belmont
Pittsburgh
Texas
Portland St
Winthrop
Wisconsin
Cal St Northridge
George Mason
Memphis
Butler
Cornell
Siena
Kent St
Coppin St
Drake
UNLV
Mt Saint Mary's
Austin Peay
UCLA
American
Arkansas
Davidson
NW State
Miss Valley St
Oral Roberts
Western Ky
San Diego
Boise St
Duke
Clemson
Xavier
Marquette
Georgetown
UCONN
Lousiville
West Virginia
Notre Dame
Michigan St
Indiana
Purdue
Kansas
Oklahoma
Baylor
Kansas St
Texas A&M
Stanford
Washington St
USC
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Mississippi St
BYU
Gonzaga
St Mary's
Miami
Arizona
Kentucky
South Alabama
St. Joseph's
Illinois St
Virginia Tech
Villanova
The 31 bold-faced teams are the conference tournament champions/highest remaining seeds playing for the conference tournament championship. Therefore, these are currently classified as automatic bid teams. The remaining 34 teams, numbers 32-65, are at-large spots. They are in no order until you get to number 58 Miami. 58-65 are the spots still somewhat up for grabs. Beginning with St. Joseph’s at number 62 is the real bubble to me, as I feel that 58-61 are pretty safe right now. That would make St. Joe’s, Illinois St., Virginia Tech, and Villanova my last four in as of Saturday night.
As for who is left out, here’s the list:
ASU
Oregon
UMASS
New Mexico
Ohio St
VCU
Florida
Arizona St was tough for sure, as is Ohio St. Both are so-so major conference teams with some strong wins. However, I think Villanova has a stronger resume than both and Virginia Tech is playing better than both (Hokie bias anyone?). UMASS would make four Atlantic 10 teams in the dance, which is ridiculous, but the committee is not supposed to (and should not) consider such things. New Mexico hurt itself by losing early in the MWC tournament, so that made this omission a little easier.
Quickly on the Hokies, my employer and most-watched team. This is a young squad that has improved leaps and bounds the last month. Since being throttled as Carolina by 39 points, the Hokies have played extremely well. However, their best win is still over Miami. The numbers are ok, the quality wins are not there. But, if the committee is considering how well teams are playing right now and the potential for tournament success, then VT should get in. I promise there are 5 & 6 seeds sitting around hoping they don’t draw Virginia Tech in the first round.
Keep in mind that these bubble spots are assuming that Georgia and Illinois both lose on Sunday. Let’s hope that’s the case for the Hokies and Wildcats, as they would both potentially lose spots in the biggest dance of them all.
I hope to get in another update quickly on Sunday prior to the brackets, but don’t bet on it. Heck, I hope to even have an updated bracket done before the selections are made public. I’ll post my (honest) predicted bracket and the actual bracket either late Sunday night or early Monday morning to be checked for accuracy. Until then, Merry March Madness everyone.
Who are the number one seeds? Easy answer.
Who are the two-seeds? Tough question, as there are five great candidates.
How high do Clemson and Pittsburgh go? Great conference tournament runs make this a tough one.
Who gets in the Big Dance? Roughly four spots TBD. For now. Because…
How many more bids get stolen? Both Illinois and Georgia play for automatic bids that would potentially eliminate two more bids after Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and South Alabama already took three bids.
Let’s briefly discuss all of these questions. First, the one-seeds. UNC, UCLA, Memphis, and the Kansas/Texas winner. Easy enough and in that order. UNC will play in Raleigh for the first round site, which is a Friday/Sunday setup. Therefore, the Tar Heels are in line for the number one overall seed as well as the winner of the play-in game.
The two-seeds will come from the following five teams: Duke, Georgetown, Kansas/Texas loser, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. I honestly have no idea who will be bumped down to a three-seed. My guess right now is either Georgetown or Duke. If Wisconsin loses to Illinois, they might drop a seed line to become a three-seed, and I personally think they are the weakest of these five teams. However, the Badgers should beat Illinois and would have to be a two-seed as the regular season and tournament champions of the Big Ten. Truthfully, it looks like Duke to me, as the Blue Devils have lost two of three here late in the season.
On a Carolina note, there are a number of storylines to follow here. As the number one seed in the East Region, the Tar Heels could have either Tennessee or Georgetown as their two. However, should Texas lose to Kansas on Sunday, the Longhorns will be tough to place as a two-seed. They couldn’t be the two-seed in Kansas’ region (likely the Midwest), nor would it be fair to Memphis if the Longhorns were the two-seed in the South Region (to be played in Houston, TX). This leaves only the West (UCLA as the one-seed) and East (UNC as the one-seed). Not that it matters a lot, but Texas and UCLA already played this year. Therefore, there’s a chance the Longhorns could end up in the East Region. Depending on how things fall on the committee’s S-curve (the overall list of all 65 teams in order of strength in comparison to the regional setup), Georgetown could easily become the lowest of the two-seeds (eighth overall) and end up in the East Region with the Tar Heels once again. The worst case scenario is a region that breaks down with UNC as the one-seed, Tennessee as the two-seed, and Georgetown as the three-seed. Not unlikely at this point.
Moving down the seeding list, it’s safe to say that one of the above-mentioned five teams battling for a two-seed will become a three-seed. Stanford as well. However, I’m at a loss for who becomes the other two three-seeds. I’m betting on at least one Big East team, likely Louisville. But what about Pittsburgh? With Lavance Fields in the lineup at full-strength, Pitt is 18-1. The Panthers also just won four games in four days to capture the Big East tournament title. It’s at least possible that Pitt climbs this high based on those two facts. For the record, Xavier looks more likely to be the fourth of the three-seeds to me.
Clemson is also climbing high. A win in the ACC Tournament final over the number one ranked Tar Heels would propel the Tigers to a 4-seed in my opinion. Even with a loss, Clemson is looking like at least a 6, maybe even a 5.
In discussing the bubble, we must first mention the last question I posed earlier: how many more bids are stolen on Sunday? Both Georgia and Illinois have a chance to earn an automatic bid, which were certainly not accounted for prior to this week. Fans of any team on the so-called bubble will be cheering loudly for Wisconsin and Arkansas, two teams who will earn bids regardless of Sunday’s results, to win and keep those bubble spots open.
Now, for the bubble itself. Here’s the breakdown as of right now:
UMBC
Temple
UNC
Belmont
Pittsburgh
Texas
Portland St
Winthrop
Wisconsin
Cal St Northridge
George Mason
Memphis
Butler
Cornell
Siena
Kent St
Coppin St
Drake
UNLV
Mt Saint Mary's
Austin Peay
UCLA
American
Arkansas
Davidson
NW State
Miss Valley St
Oral Roberts
Western Ky
San Diego
Boise St
Duke
Clemson
Xavier
Marquette
Georgetown
UCONN
Lousiville
West Virginia
Notre Dame
Michigan St
Indiana
Purdue
Kansas
Oklahoma
Baylor
Kansas St
Texas A&M
Stanford
Washington St
USC
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Mississippi St
BYU
Gonzaga
St Mary's
Miami
Arizona
Kentucky
South Alabama
St. Joseph's
Illinois St
Virginia Tech
Villanova
The 31 bold-faced teams are the conference tournament champions/highest remaining seeds playing for the conference tournament championship. Therefore, these are currently classified as automatic bid teams. The remaining 34 teams, numbers 32-65, are at-large spots. They are in no order until you get to number 58 Miami. 58-65 are the spots still somewhat up for grabs. Beginning with St. Joseph’s at number 62 is the real bubble to me, as I feel that 58-61 are pretty safe right now. That would make St. Joe’s, Illinois St., Virginia Tech, and Villanova my last four in as of Saturday night.
As for who is left out, here’s the list:
ASU
Oregon
UMASS
New Mexico
Ohio St
VCU
Florida
Arizona St was tough for sure, as is Ohio St. Both are so-so major conference teams with some strong wins. However, I think Villanova has a stronger resume than both and Virginia Tech is playing better than both (Hokie bias anyone?). UMASS would make four Atlantic 10 teams in the dance, which is ridiculous, but the committee is not supposed to (and should not) consider such things. New Mexico hurt itself by losing early in the MWC tournament, so that made this omission a little easier.
Quickly on the Hokies, my employer and most-watched team. This is a young squad that has improved leaps and bounds the last month. Since being throttled as Carolina by 39 points, the Hokies have played extremely well. However, their best win is still over Miami. The numbers are ok, the quality wins are not there. But, if the committee is considering how well teams are playing right now and the potential for tournament success, then VT should get in. I promise there are 5 & 6 seeds sitting around hoping they don’t draw Virginia Tech in the first round.
Keep in mind that these bubble spots are assuming that Georgia and Illinois both lose on Sunday. Let’s hope that’s the case for the Hokies and Wildcats, as they would both potentially lose spots in the biggest dance of them all.
I hope to get in another update quickly on Sunday prior to the brackets, but don’t bet on it. Heck, I hope to even have an updated bracket done before the selections are made public. I’ll post my (honest) predicted bracket and the actual bracket either late Sunday night or early Monday morning to be checked for accuracy. Until then, Merry March Madness everyone.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Carolina Spirit
I have a feeling she'd be celebrating right now. Dancing around her house or some bar on Franklin St, decked out in Carolina garb, toasting her beloved Tar Heels' 26th ACC Regular Season Championship. Better yet, you know she'd be thrilled that it was attained thanks to a victory on the road, at supposedly the toughest place to play in America, against the hated rival. I don't know if she'd have tuned in for the post-game show or not, but surely she'd have read Roy Williams' quotes today online. Of course, she'd have read Adam Lucas' piece too; who doesn't?
Last night, throughout this epic contest for the top spot in the ACC, she was probably cheering from elsewhere, looking down on the game and wondering why no one thought it mattered that much in the big picture. She might not fully understand why everyone in our family, the Carolina family, has been so shaken by her passing. "Just win the game" might have been the thought. I honestly don't know. But I do know is that throughout the game, she was never far from anyone's mind. Her beloved coach, Roy Williams, said as much following the game. She was honored before the game by our hated rival, who showed tremendous class and empathy; honestly, exactly as expected. As a result, she might admit, as would I quite readily, that they aren't that different from us. The Dookies hurt too, they grieve and can understand the human side of our rivalry. They know that a loss on Senior Night pales in comparison to a loss of a senior's life. And, we thank them for that. The support, the honor, even the love they've shown. She was on our jerseys, their jerseys, their hats, and in everyone's heart.
So today, the day after the big game, she'd wonder why the first articles her fellow Tar Heels are reading are not about the game. They are about her. Her life. Her death.
You see, a lot of us didn't know you Eve. We've graduated and begun our lives in the real world. Our lives that have half the promise that your's did. Yet, we see some of ourselves in you. Your zeal, your innocence, your Carolina spirit. And we love it and love you. We love you because you're part of our Carolina family. And now, our family is once again grieving. See, it has been nearly a year since another of our Carolina brethren was tragically lost. A little less than a year ago, the tears flowed and the grief stung. Our school grieved a life full of energy and promise lost. To me, the big picture of both your life and Jason's life are incredibly similar. Such a positive impact on people, a diverse skill set, the habit of getting so excited about something that you could hardly get a sentence out. We see a lot of the same things in your lives and feel a lot of the same things in your deaths. Both of you were loved and befriended by many; today, all of those people continue to grieve. We grieve for you and for ourselves.
But most of all, Eve, we thank you. We thank you for your Carolina spirit and passion for our school. We thank you for your service as Student Body President. We thank you for loving life and living it 100%. I know you were not perfect, but it has been an honor to get to know you these past few days. Through articles, quotes, facebook pages, and other people, we've become friends. I am sure our paths crossed at some point your freshman year, but I was not fortunate enough to meet you. Now, in your passing, I finally have. And I look forward to meeting you again in heaven one day, as you truly seem to be such a special person.
For now, Eve, we are praying for you, your family, your friends. And, we're praying for us, our Carolina family, our Carolina friends. We'll continue cheering on our Boys in Baby Blue as they chase a national title. We will be cheering with heavy hearts. But, it helps a bit to know that you're cheering from above as well. So go Tar Heels, Eve. I hope we embody that Carolina Spirit that you talked about in your honor. RIP.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Carolina vs Clemson
Someone call the police, cause the Heels totally stole that game tonight. It's hard to be totally shocked by the outcome given Clemson's tendency to struggle in close games and Carolina's proclivity for comebacks. Yet, this is one that will go down in the annals of Tar Heels basketball lore as one of the all-timers. For a team to be on pace for 56 turnovers at one point early in the game (56!), go down again by 15 with 8 minutes left, and 11 with 4 minutes left and pull out a win is pretty amazing. And, Clemson is a good team. They are not great, for reasons demonstrated tonight, but the Tigers are a tournament team for sure. That being said, Carolina got tough. A tough Tar Heel team makes me very happy.
My quick thoughts:
my blood, my sweat, and my tears don't mean nothin'
It's the heart of a champion (it's the heart of me)
It's the heart of a champion in me
-Nelly
Go Heels and good night.
My quick thoughts:
- Tyler is incredible. If he's not the national player of the year, I don't know who is. His toughness and refusal to ever chill out and take a play off, no matter the score, is remarkable. He will definitely be the quintessential Tar Heel great for a generation or two, much like Phil Ford for my Dad.
- Danny Green's HUGE three-pointers at the end of regulation were...um...huge. For the boneheaded plays he still makes, Danny sure does come through big-time when it matters.
- I'm in the process of sawing my leg off in order to give my ACL to Bobby Frasor, ankle to Ty Lawson, and foot to Marcus Ginyard. But...
- QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ. I stand by Q. End of discussion.
- This team may not (and probably will not) win the national title, or even make the Final Four. But, as I mentioned above, they are as tough and resilient as all getout. As frustrating as the games can be to watch at times, one cannot help but admire and be inspired by this squad. That being said...
- If this team gets healthy in about two weeks or so, watch out. Motivated and at (nearly) full-strength, I like their chances at Duke, in the ACC Tournament, and in the NCAA Tournament. So keep that big picture in mind as you wait for the Boys in Baby Blue to get healthy.
my blood, my sweat, and my tears don't mean nothin'
It's the heart of a champion (it's the heart of me)
It's the heart of a champion in me
-Nelly
Go Heels and good night.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Super Bowl XLII Follow-up
A few weeks ago, I made my first visit to Las Vegas. Big Balla, Rhino, Kev, Czar, Mean Steve, Ragin', and I descended upon Sin City ready to win some scrilla. Many of my posse were dead-set on winning money on card games or traditional gambling games like roulette or craps. I had my eye on the sports book. I follow sports a bit and am intrigued by the gambling side of it. I cannot bet on sports because of my job in collegiate athletics, but that didn't stop me from observing and dreaming.
Sunday night showed me, yet again, why I would lose a lot of money betting on sports. Why to never bet on the NFL. Why the "sure thing" is never sure in football. The 2007-2009 season was not kind to the two famous Patriots teams attempting to go undefeated: the Independence Patriots of Charlotte, North Carolina (109 game winning streak snapped, eventually lost in NC Football State Finals for first time since my senior year of high school in 2000) and of course, the New England Patriots who were trying to be the first team to go 19-0. Instead, the New Bern Tigers and New York Giants are each champions. I hate the way that sounds, btw. Both of those.
I'm not going to analyze the game, as you can go to any major newspaper or sports website and get all the analysis you'd ever want. But I will tell you that I am very surprised that New England played scared. The Pats never do that. The Giants "let it all hang out" and won because of it.
I will tell you from a personal standpoint that I got home from a Super Bowl party, got ready for bed, and said aloud, "man, I'm just so disappointed right now." I'm not a New England fan, not by a longshot. I'm not a Pats apologist either, although Rodney Harrison is one of my favorite players to watch (yes, he's dirty. But man, is he good or what?). But, I was definitely hoping to see history last night. I wanted to see a team go 19-0 and be the best team ever. And I didn't want a 14-10 win either. I wanted a blowout, an undeniable performance for the best team of all-time. I wanted to tell Lil' Kyle all about the 2007 New England Patriots, the champions of Super Bowl XLII when he asks me in fifteen years or so. He'd be a wee little eight year-old kid, sifting through the NFL record books online, and come wandering in to say, "Dad, how did the Patriots go 19-0?!?!? Were they the best team ever?"
Instead, Lil' Kyle will look through the record books at age eight and miss the Pats all-together. Then, at age sixteen or so, he'll be watching an NFL Films documentary about the best teams to not win a title and see something about New England in 2007. So, he'll wander out in the backyard where Dad is raining threes in the driveway and say, "yo, Dad, dude, I didn't know the Patriots almost went undefeated, then choked in the Super Bowl. That sucks. So, when do I get to borrow your car, there's this fly honey I want to take to Bojangles?"
And now, K-Trey (that's Kyle the third, Kyle III, "Trey", or "K-Trey" for short...or long...whatever), my unrivaled grandson will wander into my room in forty years and say, "Big Poppa, tell me about the 2007 New England Patriots. They were 18-1." And I'll say, "they were? Really? Hmmm...oh yeah, they lost in the Super Bowl. What a shame. K-Trey, let's go work on your batting stance." If New England had won last night and gone down as the greatest team I'd ever seen, there's no way I'd forget them in forty years. Now? Who knows. So that's why I am disappointed.
A couple quick UNC-related notes. First of all, let me say that five years ago, I'd have punched a hole in the wall during yesterday's game. As late as theMaryland road game in 2005, I've had meltdowns in-game that led to something being thrown, punched, kicked, cussed, or otherwise broken (in case you're wondering, we won that game after breaking down defensively multiple times late, then digging in a getting a stop, all without Rashad McCants). Now? I just watched it all unfold, calmly. Of course I wanted the Heels to win. I did pop the side of my grandfather's recliner after Ryan Reid hit the first three-pointer of his college career to send it to OT. But then I went in my bedroom and laughed for thirty seconds or so, took a leak, and returned to watch us lock it down in overtime. No need to get upset. Remember, there's a bigger picture to the basketball season (national championship) and, thankfully, a bigger picture to life (Jesus).
Second, Ty Lawson is not playing Wednesday night. No way. That ankle injury does not look like something he can play on this week, or maybe even next. Carolina will most likely lose, but not solely as a result of Lawson being out. However, once Frasor went down for the season, Lawson immediately became the most indespinsible player on the team. He might have been even with Frasor. Quintin Thomas will play, and play pretty well I think. But the Tar Heels are incredibly different without Lawson.
Third, do not fret about the short-term for the Tar Heels. As I mentioned above, the goal is to win the last game of the season (and don't worry, the Heels ain't NIT-bound, not this year). So getting Lawson back in time to get ready for the home-stretch and the drive through March is more important than beating Duke. And yes, I honestly believe this. Any Carolina fan who truly "gets it" should as well.
Not much else to say right now. Hopefully The Blue Team will return later this week with a National Signing Day breakdown (also on Wednesday, how great is that??) and analysis of the Duke/Carolina matchup. Until then...
bye bye bye.
Sunday night showed me, yet again, why I would lose a lot of money betting on sports. Why to never bet on the NFL. Why the "sure thing" is never sure in football. The 2007-2009 season was not kind to the two famous Patriots teams attempting to go undefeated: the Independence Patriots of Charlotte, North Carolina (109 game winning streak snapped, eventually lost in NC Football State Finals for first time since my senior year of high school in 2000) and of course, the New England Patriots who were trying to be the first team to go 19-0. Instead, the New Bern Tigers and New York Giants are each champions. I hate the way that sounds, btw. Both of those.
I'm not going to analyze the game, as you can go to any major newspaper or sports website and get all the analysis you'd ever want. But I will tell you that I am very surprised that New England played scared. The Pats never do that. The Giants "let it all hang out" and won because of it.
I will tell you from a personal standpoint that I got home from a Super Bowl party, got ready for bed, and said aloud, "man, I'm just so disappointed right now." I'm not a New England fan, not by a longshot. I'm not a Pats apologist either, although Rodney Harrison is one of my favorite players to watch (yes, he's dirty. But man, is he good or what?). But, I was definitely hoping to see history last night. I wanted to see a team go 19-0 and be the best team ever. And I didn't want a 14-10 win either. I wanted a blowout, an undeniable performance for the best team of all-time. I wanted to tell Lil' Kyle all about the 2007 New England Patriots, the champions of Super Bowl XLII when he asks me in fifteen years or so. He'd be a wee little eight year-old kid, sifting through the NFL record books online, and come wandering in to say, "Dad, how did the Patriots go 19-0?!?!? Were they the best team ever?"
Instead, Lil' Kyle will look through the record books at age eight and miss the Pats all-together. Then, at age sixteen or so, he'll be watching an NFL Films documentary about the best teams to not win a title and see something about New England in 2007. So, he'll wander out in the backyard where Dad is raining threes in the driveway and say, "yo, Dad, dude, I didn't know the Patriots almost went undefeated, then choked in the Super Bowl. That sucks. So, when do I get to borrow your car, there's this fly honey I want to take to Bojangles?"
And now, K-Trey (that's Kyle the third, Kyle III, "Trey", or "K-Trey" for short...or long...whatever), my unrivaled grandson will wander into my room in forty years and say, "Big Poppa, tell me about the 2007 New England Patriots. They were 18-1." And I'll say, "they were? Really? Hmmm...oh yeah, they lost in the Super Bowl. What a shame. K-Trey, let's go work on your batting stance." If New England had won last night and gone down as the greatest team I'd ever seen, there's no way I'd forget them in forty years. Now? Who knows. So that's why I am disappointed.
A couple quick UNC-related notes. First of all, let me say that five years ago, I'd have punched a hole in the wall during yesterday's game. As late as theMaryland road game in 2005, I've had meltdowns in-game that led to something being thrown, punched, kicked, cussed, or otherwise broken (in case you're wondering, we won that game after breaking down defensively multiple times late, then digging in a getting a stop, all without Rashad McCants). Now? I just watched it all unfold, calmly. Of course I wanted the Heels to win. I did pop the side of my grandfather's recliner after Ryan Reid hit the first three-pointer of his college career to send it to OT. But then I went in my bedroom and laughed for thirty seconds or so, took a leak, and returned to watch us lock it down in overtime. No need to get upset. Remember, there's a bigger picture to the basketball season (national championship) and, thankfully, a bigger picture to life (Jesus).
Second, Ty Lawson is not playing Wednesday night. No way. That ankle injury does not look like something he can play on this week, or maybe even next. Carolina will most likely lose, but not solely as a result of Lawson being out. However, once Frasor went down for the season, Lawson immediately became the most indespinsible player on the team. He might have been even with Frasor. Quintin Thomas will play, and play pretty well I think. But the Tar Heels are incredibly different without Lawson.
Third, do not fret about the short-term for the Tar Heels. As I mentioned above, the goal is to win the last game of the season (and don't worry, the Heels ain't NIT-bound, not this year). So getting Lawson back in time to get ready for the home-stretch and the drive through March is more important than beating Duke. And yes, I honestly believe this. Any Carolina fan who truly "gets it" should as well.
Not much else to say right now. Hopefully The Blue Team will return later this week with a National Signing Day breakdown (also on Wednesday, how great is that??) and analysis of the Duke/Carolina matchup. Until then...
bye bye bye.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Super Bowl Prediction & UNC vs FSU
Quick Super Bowl prediction, in case anyone cares: New England 37 New York Giants 13. I am stubborn in thinking the Pats are the best team until someone knocks them off. I have no real reason from a matchup standpoint other than I think the Pats have better players, better schemes, and the experience edge. Plus, giving Bellichek and Co two weeks to prepare certainly makes a difference. NYG only wins if New England turns the ball over a lot, and that's not happening because the Pats will be focused and ready to go. (My only "Howeva" here is that New England has not won any of its three Super Bowls convincingly. They had big leads in all three, but lost focus and the lead in two of them. We'll see if that becomes reality again tonight).
Now, for the only game that really matters to me on Super Bowl Sunday - Carolina vs Florida State. In case you missed it, the Heels prevailed 82-73 in OT down in Tallahassee. Ty Lawson missed nearly the entire game due to an ankle injury (one of those sprains that bothers you for a month. Great). Tyler Hansbrough did not have a made field-goal thirty minutes into the game. Wayne Ellington had only ten points or so (no boxscore up yet to confirm). SO how was this game won?.
Roy Williams knows. Toughness, Roy says. The Heels played tough physically and remained tough mentally. What started out as an infamous "No Eff-ing Way Game" (see Bill Simmons' column on ESPN.com) turned into one of the gutsiest performances of recent years. Now don't get me wrong, Florida St did its part. The Seminoles shot poorly, rebounded worse, and turned the ball over at inopportune times. Three FSU post players fouled out in overtime. Toney Douglas was 3-20 shooting. BUT, Carolina still worked to win this ballgame. On the road, in ACC play, against a team that has given them problems in the past.
Everyone contributed today. Not to mislead anyone, Hansbrough still played a great game. He did not get the ball to score much, but he rebounded like a man possessed (20+ I believe) and made some key shots late. Deon Thompson & Alex Stepheson played well at the four spot. Danny Green broke out of his recent funk and shot the ball well (he also turned it over a lot). Marcus Ginyard gutted it out on a sore foot and played great defense all day, as usual. William Graves did something well I'm sure, I just don't remember anything right now.
But the story from this game is Quintin Thomas. Q. In ten years, I will be having a conversation with some Carolina fan and his name will come up. The other person will whine about how Q underachieved, had no confidence, and really made him mad. I will then turn away for ten seconds so as not to unload on the guy and gather myself. I will then remind him of this game. And the other guy will then shut up, realize he knows nothing about basketball, and punch himself in the face. Q is about so much more than points, assists, turnovers, etc. To appreciate him, you have to see the entire picture.
A freshman who has to start his first collegiate game in his home state of California, plays poorly, and watches his team lose to Santa Clara (yes, Santa Clara). He contributes little on the floor as the squad wins the national title. As a sophomore, he is bypassed by a combo guard from Illinois, Bobby Frasor, and plays eractically as a backup. As a junior, he is relegated to third-string after Frasor is bypassed by a freshmen phenom point guard (Ty Lawson). Frasor gets hurt, Q is the backup again, and again plays eractically. Same situation now as a senior. Turns the ball over three times in a row at Clemson and seems to have no confidence.
At what point in there would you have quit? Have asked to transfer? Maybe have quit basketball all together? I'd give myself until that junior year, then I'd have been gone. No way I could have stuck it out behind two guys younger than me. Be honest here: what takes more guts, quiting or staying? Starting or being a leader from the bench? Giving your all in practice and never getting it to come together in a game or being a superstar?
Has Quintin Thomas' career as a Carolina point guard been what he dreamed about prior to accepting a scholarship? No. But did God have a perfect plan for his life and does Quintin believe in that plan? Yes. I admire his toughness more than anyone on this team. To see him contribute today and play a great game in place of Lawson is inspiring. Because he's stuck it out, continued to work, got a chance and did well for himself. What will Quintin say about this? Probably something along the lines of, "it was nice to contribute, but I'm just glad we got the win. I have a bigger goal than this one game though." I don't know if he's already said that or not, but that's the kind of player and person Quintin Thomas is. Does this team need Ty Lawson? Duh. Is Ty Lawson still the better point guard. Again, duh. Will Q always play well? Probably not. But will Q ever give up? No way. And I promise to never give up on him.
So today, be happy that Carolina won. And be happy for Quintin Thomas.
Now, for the only game that really matters to me on Super Bowl Sunday - Carolina vs Florida State. In case you missed it, the Heels prevailed 82-73 in OT down in Tallahassee. Ty Lawson missed nearly the entire game due to an ankle injury (one of those sprains that bothers you for a month. Great). Tyler Hansbrough did not have a made field-goal thirty minutes into the game. Wayne Ellington had only ten points or so (no boxscore up yet to confirm). SO how was this game won?.
Roy Williams knows. Toughness, Roy says. The Heels played tough physically and remained tough mentally. What started out as an infamous "No Eff-ing Way Game" (see Bill Simmons' column on ESPN.com) turned into one of the gutsiest performances of recent years. Now don't get me wrong, Florida St did its part. The Seminoles shot poorly, rebounded worse, and turned the ball over at inopportune times. Three FSU post players fouled out in overtime. Toney Douglas was 3-20 shooting. BUT, Carolina still worked to win this ballgame. On the road, in ACC play, against a team that has given them problems in the past.
Everyone contributed today. Not to mislead anyone, Hansbrough still played a great game. He did not get the ball to score much, but he rebounded like a man possessed (20+ I believe) and made some key shots late. Deon Thompson & Alex Stepheson played well at the four spot. Danny Green broke out of his recent funk and shot the ball well (he also turned it over a lot). Marcus Ginyard gutted it out on a sore foot and played great defense all day, as usual. William Graves did something well I'm sure, I just don't remember anything right now.
But the story from this game is Quintin Thomas. Q. In ten years, I will be having a conversation with some Carolina fan and his name will come up. The other person will whine about how Q underachieved, had no confidence, and really made him mad. I will then turn away for ten seconds so as not to unload on the guy and gather myself. I will then remind him of this game. And the other guy will then shut up, realize he knows nothing about basketball, and punch himself in the face. Q is about so much more than points, assists, turnovers, etc. To appreciate him, you have to see the entire picture.
A freshman who has to start his first collegiate game in his home state of California, plays poorly, and watches his team lose to Santa Clara (yes, Santa Clara). He contributes little on the floor as the squad wins the national title. As a sophomore, he is bypassed by a combo guard from Illinois, Bobby Frasor, and plays eractically as a backup. As a junior, he is relegated to third-string after Frasor is bypassed by a freshmen phenom point guard (Ty Lawson). Frasor gets hurt, Q is the backup again, and again plays eractically. Same situation now as a senior. Turns the ball over three times in a row at Clemson and seems to have no confidence.
At what point in there would you have quit? Have asked to transfer? Maybe have quit basketball all together? I'd give myself until that junior year, then I'd have been gone. No way I could have stuck it out behind two guys younger than me. Be honest here: what takes more guts, quiting or staying? Starting or being a leader from the bench? Giving your all in practice and never getting it to come together in a game or being a superstar?
Has Quintin Thomas' career as a Carolina point guard been what he dreamed about prior to accepting a scholarship? No. But did God have a perfect plan for his life and does Quintin believe in that plan? Yes. I admire his toughness more than anyone on this team. To see him contribute today and play a great game in place of Lawson is inspiring. Because he's stuck it out, continued to work, got a chance and did well for himself. What will Quintin say about this? Probably something along the lines of, "it was nice to contribute, but I'm just glad we got the win. I have a bigger goal than this one game though." I don't know if he's already said that or not, but that's the kind of player and person Quintin Thomas is. Does this team need Ty Lawson? Duh. Is Ty Lawson still the better point guard. Again, duh. Will Q always play well? Probably not. But will Q ever give up? No way. And I promise to never give up on him.
So today, be happy that Carolina won. And be happy for Quintin Thomas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)